Chapter Thirteen:
A Break in the Lotus Casino.
— You knew who I was with every step that I ran
to you. Only blue or black days, electing strange perfections in any stranger I choose !
To sleep while being extraordinarily hot was not an easy task to complete.
It was why Colette Victoire didn't sleep that night. She watched in peaceful silence as her soulmates slept soundly. Though she could see that one of them was plagued by brutal nightmares. She couldn't imagine what deity had suddenly decided to use him as a piece of entertainment. He was new to it all, it had to be traumatizing for someone so young. She didn't know why she thought that way. She was only months older than him and her internal monologue viewed him as someone so much younger, the same went for her Annie. She supposed it was her protectiveness, her instinct to nurture (as her siblings would tease her). She would hold up the weight of the world if it meant her soulmates could be at peace. She'd realized then just how many times she'd slipped up that day. They weren't to know yet. They couldn't know of the prophecy that plagued her mind since the day after Percy arrived at camp. She'd spoken to her father that night. Apollo had repeated the prophecy to her every time she'd looked at him in complete disbelief.
She shook her head slowly, trying to rid herself of her thoughts. Her hand was still tucked in Annabeth's, still gently running her thumb along the brunette's delicate knuckles, but her eyes were hyper focused on Percy. His face contorted into a grimace every now and then and it worried her. She wanted to reach over, lay his head in her lap, and run her fingers gently through his dark hair until the deity left him alone while he slept.
Colette was blisteringly hot in the truck. She'd been absorbing the heat from the trailer every hour when she noticed the animals grow restless. She'd place her hand on the wall and let the heat of the atmosphere consume her. Her face was slick with sweat, a red hue coating her face, and her eyes were drooping with exhaustion, but she downright refused to sleep. She didn't want to leave her sleeping friends defenseless.
To keep herself occupied, she used her free hand to open the bag her uncle had given her. She wanted nothing more than to throw it out of the moving truck, but she refrained. She still had a semblance of self-control. She quietly undid the knot he'd tied it with and peeked inside. There was a crisp note at the top that she reached for first.
With the delicate handwriting on the page, she knew who it was from. Aphrodite had a message for one of her favorite love pawns.
To my beautiful Colette,
My dear, I would like to sincerely apologize for my lover's behavior toward you and your beloveds. Had I known he would do such a thing, I would've interfered sooner. Though I suppose your father avenged your image, you needn't worry much for it. War will have a burn on his forehead for the rest of his eternity, thanks to your father.
You see, ever since you'd met your uncle, I'd warned him not to meddle with you or your loves; It seems he truly cannot take a hint. As retribution, I have forced him to make you a gift, along with a few of my own of course. Not just for you, my love, for you and yours.
Lots of love, hugs, and kisses,
'Dite <3.
P.S. You should tell them before it's too late, lovely.
Colette sighed, folding up the note, putting it back in the dark bag, and rubbing her forehead tiredly. She really didn't want to deal with the meddlesome goddess, she figured if they got another chance to rest in a place that wasn't cooking her alive, she'd look through the bag of gifts that Aphrodite found the time to pack for her.
